Lille

Located on the north-eastern side of France, Lille is the country’s 4th largest city. Influenced by its solid industrial history, Lille has come a long way to developing into the commercial and cultural hub it is today. Despite being the largest city in the north, Lille still manages to have a laid-back feel to it without the big city arrogance.

It is a cosmopolitan city with Flemish and French influences in its culture and architecture. The city was named European Capital of Culture in 2004 and has a large student population, making it one of the best cities in France for a fun night out.

During the day you can relax at a café with a coffee, cycle around to take in the city’s historical architecture, or head to one of Lille’s (and France’s) most famous art galleries: Lille Métropole Museum of Modern, Contemporary, and Outsider Art and Roubaix’s La Piscine, an extremely unique gallery which just happens to be located in a repurposed art deco public swimming pool.

YMCA Global Study runs a number of programs with the Catholic University in Lille during the January and July university breaks, check them out!